Review of Ode to My Father (2014) by Calvin C — 17 Jan 2015
Kind of like Forrest Gump, Ode to My Father spans across 60 years and is all about the Yoon family. Little Deok-su loses his sister during a chaotic evacuation on an American military boat, and also loses his father who goes back to save her. Skip forward to present day, Deok-su is a curmudgeonly old man who still carries resentment in his heart Through flashbacks, we get the various adventures of his life, since he has promised to be the head of the household no matter what.
When I mention Forrest Gump, I mean the Vietnam War and becoming a successful entrepreneur. Deok-su does this with his buddy Dal-gu get into all sorts of adventures, first becoming miners in Germany, and then engineers during the Vietnam War. Its this giant true to life tale full of courage, responsibility, and redemption that really brings the poignancy level to the maximum in the dramatic scenes. The real tear jerker is the reunion at the end, which is full of build up and ooey gooey bits.
Despite the old man make up and the butterfly, Ode to My Father is an exceptional drama about family, love, and responsibility, and one of the best films to come out of South Korea.
This review of Ode to My Father (2014) was written by Calvin C on 17 Jan 2015.
Ode to My Father has generally received very positive reviews.
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